Friday, September 28, 2012

We personally find a lot of inspiration from all the places that we visit on our photo shoots. Right now, we’re working on the layout for the December issue.
Yesterday our two graphic designers, Helle and Tina, were practically swooning over an article that’s featured in this issue.
It’s about using kale as a decoration. THAT is something Helle wants to try at home.
Tina has a large vegetable garden with plenty of curly kale. So today, the car was crammed to bursting point with kale, and as the morning progressed, more and more co-workers wanted in on the idea.

Curly kale is in season right now. Keep an eye out for it at roadside stands and farmers’ markets…

If you happen to have some left over, you can use it for some of the wonderful, hearty recipes that call for kale. Perhaps a traditional dish with white sauce or a nice, filling salad with fresh kale.
Not only does it look nice, it’s also delicious and super healthy and helps to stave off fall colds. /Vivian

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

I have a wild thicket of blackberry brambles. It's not exactly EASY to pick the berries... but they do taste amazing – so I wear a leather glove to pick them. We eat them plain or with just a bit of sugar in desserts and fruit salads.

Blackberry Schnapps
You can also make an excellent blackberry schnapps:
Pour plenty of sugar over fresh berries and add enough whiskey to fill the bottle. Let it sit for two months for the flavors to combine. Now you have an amazing beverage, which is also perfect as a hostess gift for the holidays – so now is the time to get started. /Vivian

Monday, September 24, 2012

The smell of the woodland floor and the last rays of sun... I just spent a weekend at my summer house. It's amazing how different it is to visit there depending on the time of year.

I have to say that I don't love it any less now that it's early fall. I can just sit for hours on the porch, gazing into the woods.

There's an amazing depth between the trees. I find myself taking in the rays of the sun more intensely now, and they cast the most amazing light down through the trees.
It's almost like one of those moments – when you feel a profound happiness and gratitude for the simple things in life.

Just sitting there with a blanket wrapped around you, a steaming cup of hot tea in hand, enjoying the scenery and the musty scent of the forest floor.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

The writers here at JDL are working on articles for the December issue now. One of the articles we'll be featuring is about something as traditional and dull as porridge – which is actually having a comeback and has become quite trendy in several places. The fact that it's cheap, easy and healthy as well only makes it better of course.

So during our lunch break, when we all sit together, the conversation turns to the topic of porridge. Our oldest co-worker, Karen – about whom you can read in the November issue, by the way – is sitting at the table as well. She'll be turning 80 in just a few months and assists with production on Tuesdays, much to both her and our delight.

She happily starts telling us about her childhood but also her adult life, in which porridge was everyday food and something that could stretch the housekeeping money in a pinch. It's such a shame that so many good and hardy recipes are almost forgotten because we no longer make them. So here's a suggestion to all of you: Give a blank notebook to an older family member and ask her to write down all the good, old recipes in the book.

Like this one:

Oatmeal with Apple/Pear Sauce
Even something as plain and "boring" as oatmeal becomes delicious food when you add something new. We've made a fruit topping with apples and pears. The oatmeal is decorated with pear peel cut with a julienne slicer.

2 Pears2 Apples1/2 C (100 g) Sugar1 tsp Vanilla Sugar1 tsp Cinnamon

Peel, core and chop the fruit. Boil fruit and sugar for 10-15 minutes until very soft. Add spices and season to taste. Set aside to cool. You can puree the fruit if you like. The fruit sauce can be frozen in small portions and thawed when you need it. It's also a delicious addition to many kinds of baked goods.

It’s getting to be a while since I wrote a post for the blog. Good thing that Tina’s been keeping you updated a bit about what we’re up to out here.
Right now, we’re actually absorbed in the spring collection! Although we brag about new items coming in all the time and not just twice a year, there’s still a little bit of a ”season” at play.
We’re working on a lot of very exciting things at the moment – so we’ve been a little preoccupied…
You’ll get a sneak peak later – I promise! /Vivian

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Some of our newest arrivals – just in the door all the way from Nepal – are our pretty, handmade boxes and sheets of patterned gift wrap.
I’ve always had a ”thing” for storage, boxes and patterned paper. So imagine having the freedom to design exactly those things just the way you’d like them!
We came up with the boxes because we’d bought some old, pretty boxes at a flea market. They were actually covered with fabric… But they had this pretty clasp and the narrow top that we fell for immediately.
The patterns are inspired by different things – old, Swedish wallpapers and a few hours of play together with our graphic designers here, to name a few.
I’m just crazy about the subtle print that became the end result – I guess there’s no doubt about what the Christmas presents that I’m giving this year will look like.

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This ribbon matches the gift wrap.

If you’re a bit Francophile like quite a few of us around here, you’re probably just crazy about old, French Christmas decorations.
This kind with pearls – which is featured in our Christmas book “A Touch of France,” among other places.

Drawing inspiration from these beautiful, old Christmas ornaments, Lonnie has designed a wonderful little collection of pearl ornaments so true to the originals that it’s hard to tell them apart.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be working at full throttle shipping out all these wonderful Christmas items to the stores. So it won’t be long before you can find them at your local JDL retailer! /Vivian

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

If you have´nt had the time to buy the new magazine, then hurry up and do so, it is just amazing. You will, among other things, find an article from a house located in California, this house is furnished in a beautiful way. Also you will find delicious recipes with parsley. Learn how to decorate your home with fresh seasoning bouquets and how to build your own bookcase. This can be used for many purposes. Enjoy. / Tina